Responses (2)

There is no way of telling you how long your period will last. It will most likely be light. The pill decreases the lining of the uterus so there isn't much to bleed. The brown pills are not hormones but they do have iron in them.

You could not take the brown pills but it is not recommended, especially if it is early in your treatment with birth control pills. The inactive pills (brown ones) are designed to get you used to taking a pill each day but you can discard them if you dont want to take them-you do need the break from active pills so that you get your period during this time-you wouldnt want to skip them and go right to the next pack. They contain a small amount of iron (ferrous fumarate) but not enough to be therapeutic. Most of the time a woman wont start withdrawal bleeding until she has been on the inactive pills a few days and the lenth of ones cycle is anyones guess but it is usually a lighter cycle than without birth control pills. Some women bleed lightly for a few days, some bleed until their active pills start again and others barely spot for a day or two. It is really individualized to each woman.